1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to connectors for optical fibers.
2. Background of the Invention
With the increasing use of optical fibers in the telecommunications industry, the need exists for ways to transfer optical pulses from one optical fiber to another without undue power loss, which is often referred to as attenuation. Some connectors require optical fibers to be placed end to end, so that light may exit one fiber directly into another. Many fiber optic connectors contemplate that the craftsperson performing the connection will abut the fibers using hand-eye coordination. The optical fibers are rather small; they can be seen with the naked eye, but the process requires a high degree of concentration by the craftsperson. Power loss results if the fiber ends are too far apart, since an undue amount of light will escape. However, if the fibers are pressed together with too much force, one or both fiber tips may break, which naturally is also undesirable. Ideally, the fiber ends should be placed adjacent to each other without either the fiber ends being highly compressed or with space remaining between them.
To aid the craftsperson in this task, some connectors use a feedback process using power transmission. The craftsperson adjusts the fiber ends while watching a meter indicating the amount of power transmitted from one fiber to the other. The splice is completed when the craftsperson feels that the minimum power loss has been achieved.